Sesshōmaru
500 InuYasha Profiles, page 161 |status=Traveling |species=Dog Daiyōkai |gender=Male |height=178 cm (5'10") |weight=76 kg (167.6 lbs) |eyes=Gold |hair=Silver |skin=Fair |family=*Inu no Taishō *Mother *Inuyasha *Kagome Higurashi |weapons=Tenseiga, Bakusaiga, Tōkijin, Poison, Claws |techniques=*Meidō Zangetsuha *Sōryūha |abilities=Flight, Superhuman olfactory senses, Superhuman strength , again when he meets his mother , and finally during the battle against Magatsuhi. Outfit Sesshōmaru's armor includes a spiked pauldron that covers his left shoulder attached to the upper section of his cuirass and "lotus petal" faulds. When damaged, the armor automatically regenerates itself using yōki.InuYasha Profiles, page ?? Both his armor and his long flowing sash have a decided Chinese influence, as opposed to the customary Japanese armor and obi. His kimono is mostly white with a red and whiteNote: It is red in the anime. cherry blossom flower crest at the collar and sleeves, showing that he is of royal birth. He wears sashinuki hakama which are gathered at the ankles, producing a "ballooning" effect. His footwear consists of black ankle-high boots, also reminiscent of Mainland influence. On his right shoulder is his mokomoko-sama: the fur and tail of his true form which he retains in his humanoid form. Personality Sesshōmaru, born of a great demon bloodline, possesses the perfect power that many demons desire. Because of this he is always composed and confident in his power. His air of aloofness and indifference is a product of dignity that only one of such rare demon power may possess. Sesshōmaru is more or less emotionless, only anger, annoyance, and dissatisfaction showing on his face. Because both his heart and body are so strong, he had no desire whatsoever for the Shikon Jewel. He had absolute confidence in his power, so he did not need the Shikon Jewel and doesn't have to conspire with allies. Sesshōmaru even responded sarcastically towards Naraku, who had assumed an air of impudence due to his increased demon power. In battle he judged his enemy's power level and attacked with the minimum power necessary. He dealt with his enemies after determining their power. Once he had realized their weak point, their attacks were futile. Sesshōmaru is obsessively proud of his father the Inu no Taishō, of whom the whole demon world was in awe. Because he respects his bloodline so much, he despises Inuyasha as well as Inuyasha's human mother Izayoi. He insults Naraku, who tried to take advantage of Sesshōmaru's power. All that his father left him was a dull sword that wouldn't cut anything. Anger welled up in his heart for not being able to use Tenseiga, which was left by his father, whom he highly respects. Sesshōmaru held resentment towards his father for having left Tessaiga to Inuyasha, whose power was weaker than his own. However, over time, Sesshōmaru comes to grasp why his father gave him Tenseiga and lets go of his disgust towards his half-brother, even showing concern for him in rare moments. He was also secretly angry that Naraku, who was assembled by demons far lower in level than Sesshōmaru, used abusive language and disrespect towards him. Sesshōmaru had stated that he seeks to only fight the strongest beings alive and how he had wanted to fight his father and defeat him. Sesshōmaru felt nothing for others, sneering and dismissing humane feelings. Anyone in his way is an enemy whom he will exterminate without hesitation. He does not hold back his power, even against women. He rationalizes that all his prey is the same and defeats them accordingly. For one with such pride in his power, cooperation is proof of weakness and being alone is a condition for the strong. Once he judges someone as a obstacle, he is quick to kill without hesitation. He used to feel nothing for anyone, but meeting various people, such as the ever-changing Inuyasha, Naraku with his numerous proposals, and all-alone Rin had brought change to his heart. After he saved Rin and became a true owner of Tenseiga, he started to show feelings behind his heartless and cruel words. He stopped the demonic Inuyasha's wildness by controlling his power and he looked at him like an older brother reprimanding a younger brother, though claimed he would kill Inuyasha despite his actions showing the opposite. He even refrained from killing Kohaku when he could easily do so, when he looked in his eyes and saw emptiness and that he had given up everything. Sesshōmaru has a very inquiring mind when there is something he cares about, but at the same time, he had almost no tenacity of purpose. If he becomes interested in something else, he will arbitrarily turn his back on what he's doing, even during battle. Just like his fighting style, he is quick to make decisions and act on then immediately. The encounter with Rin awakened him as the true user of Tenseiga. The smile and fleeting life of this young girl who tried to save him caused Sesshōmaru to change for the first time. The will of his father, who cared for humans, has finally been passed to his oldest son. Sesshōmaru used to leave anything behind that might bind him but he has slowly but surely changed. Sesshōmaru genuinely cares about Rin and Jaken and while he rarely shows it, he does appreciate their loyalty. Sesshōmaru originally held much contempt towards protecting the weak, seeing it as a waste of time and ridiculous. Unlike the Inu no Taishō and Inuyasha, Sesshōmaru has trouble admitting he had people to protect (Rin and Jaken) and out of pride, would never admit that he does, as Sword of An Honorable Ruler showed. Another trait of Sesshōmaru is one he shares with his younger brother. Both have tempers and are very easy to annoy (Inuyasha being loud in his anger, Sesshōmaru being subtle) as he has been known to hit Jaken when he says something that displeases him, similar to how Inuyasha is with Shippō. Growing Compassion Sesshōmaru, who previously was a cold-hearted, arrogant, and extremely powerful daiyōkai was humbled by his "worthless half-breed" brother, Inuyasha, who used the sword to cut off his left arm. In another incident, Sesshōmaru had used his poison claws against Inuyasha, temporarily blinding him. Having sensed the clashing of the two yōki, Inuyasha unknowingly used the Wind Scar against Sesshōmaru. The Tenseiga prevented a possible fatality and transported the daiyōkai's battered body. Sesshōmaru quickly rested for the time-being in a forest near a village, where he first met the orphan girl, Rin. He was cared for by Rin during his rehabilitation from injury. He was initially hostile to the mute girl, who offered him food, by refusing to eat and telling her to "mind her own business." However, the little child continued to serve him. Once he recovered, he set off with Jaken, but he sensed Rin's blood scent when she was attacked and mauled by Kōga's wolves; he used Tenseiga to resurrect her, whereupon she began to follow him. This incident proved to be the turning point in his life as it dramatically transformed his attitude towards everyone else. This was apparent when Rin was seen wearing new and colorful kimono later. When Rin falls off to the cliff in the process of getting life-saving herbs for Jaken, Sesshōmaru comes in a bolt of light to save her after she called out his name. In Forever With Lord Sesshōmaru's episode (anime special), After Sesshōmaru saves Rin, he ask Rin to do what she wishes. This is not at all typical of Sesshōmaru, as he was usually shown to leave Jaken at times before he met Rin. Jaken is even shown to be mumbling that "Lord Sesshōmaru will kill him if something happens to Rin," obviously showing his concern for the girl's safety. Sesshōmaru, while fighting Jakotsu, rushes off to rescue Rin, who fell when the bridge broke. Jakotsu notes that Rin is Sesshōmaru's weak point. Exploiting this fact, Suikotsu and Jakotsu threatens to kill Rin when they are cornered. Sesshōmaru even saves Kohaku, Rin's best friend and protector, who was under Naraku's control, under the behest of Inuyasha and his friends. These are some of the many traces of compassion that Sesshōmaru displays. Sesshōmaru's compassion for Rin is evident, but he prefers to disguise it, because it would taint his pride. However, he shows his love and concern for Rin when she appears to be dead due to her time in Hell. Sesshōmaru enters Hell for the purpose of rescuing her, but upon learning that he cannot save her life, he is crushed. When he realizes that it was his urge to strengthen Tenseiga which brought them to Hell and ultimately killed her, he casts the sword aside and says that for the sword to gain power at the expense of Rin's life means nothing. However, when Sesshōmaru's mother revives Rin, he is seems to be relieved. Finally the will of his father, who cared for humans, has been passed to his son. When Kagura was injured, Sesshōmaru originally intended to leave her in the river she was drowning in, but when Rin falls in trying to save her and Jaken follows Rin, Sesshōmaru pulls all three from the river. He stayed there afterwards and warned her not to do anything that would get her killed. Later however, before Kagura's death, Sesshōmaru seeks her out and considers using the Tenseiga, only to conclude that Tenseiga cannot save her. He has also been shown saving Inuyasha's friends on several occasions. On his way to Mount Hakurei, Sesshōmaru saves Kagome, Miroku, and Sango from the poison master Mukotsu, one of the Band of Seven but only claims that he killed Mukotsu because he would not answer his questions. He also revives a young otter yōkai's father, claiming that it was the will of Tenseiga. Another example is when Inuyasha and his companions are involved in a fight with the "water god" Numawatari: when Sesshōmaru arrives, he insults Inuyasha's inability to kill a "low life yōkai," and then easily dispatches Numawatari using his Meidō Zangetsuha ability, leaving straight after. Also, when Byakuya, Naraku's newest incarnation, is about to take Kohaku, who had one of the last three shards of the Shikon Jewel, back to Naraku, Sesshōmaru appears and launches a ranged Meidō Zangetsuha (still in the crescent moon shape), barely missing him. Byakuya flees, claiming that he does not want to die, and comments on how it is so unlike Sesshōmaru to save someone. Thereafter, Sesshōmaru seems to have taken Kohaku under his protection, albeit in his typical grudging demon-slayer fashion. Later, when Kohaku's shard gets tainted by Magatsuhi, Sesshōmaru attempts to save Kohaku at the expense of great injury to his arm. It is his compassion that caused the Tenseiga to be reforged as a weapon. Its offensive powers were locked until Sesshōmaru was able to show true compassion. In battle with Mōryōmaru, the villain insulted the deceased Kagura, which angers Sesshōmaru and he shatters Mōryōmaru's indestructible shell (and his only weapon in the process). Acknowledging the yōkai's growth because he is defending a dead person, Tenseiga called to its creator to reforge it as a weapon. Later, to show his compassion and respect for his father, he gave the offensive powers of his sword to Inuyasha (albeit in his typical fashion) in accordance with his father's wishes and recognizing his brother's worth as the heir to the sword. He refused to use Bakusaiga on Inuyasha when even Magatsuhi noted it was the obvious choice to make and in the third movie Swords of an Honorable Ruler it is hinted that he actually does care about Inuyasha but refuses to admit it when he is protecting him from the Sō’unga's "Dragon Twister" attack. Despite his growing compassion, he, like his brother, uses impolite Japanese. He addresses strangers or people he does not like with "kisama," which, like "temee," is an offensive form of "you," though still more formal. He addresses himself with the polite "watashi", signifying his high rank and power. Other than "kisama," he uses "omae," either to Jaken or to Inuyasha, the latter being occasionally and not rarely. Thus, he can be insulting while retaining the dignified speech pattern of a lord, as opposed to the rougher speech used by Inuyasha. Powers & Abilities As a full blooded demon, Sesshōmaru is overwhelmingly powerful, being a match for any opponent he encounters. He has exhibited senses much more powerful than that of humans and even many demons and a plethora of powerful techniques at his disposal. *'Flight': Sesshōmaru is capable of independent flight or can extend his mokomoko-sama and use it to carry himself through the air. The latter method of flight enables him to bring others along with him while flying by riding his mokomoko-sama with him. *'Immunity': Sesshōmaru is immune to diseases and toxins that affect humans and weaker yōkai. His greatest resistance seems to be toward holy and divine powers; he was able to enter Mt. Hakurei's purification barrier, by far the strongest of its type in the series, without being purified, and has negated Naraku's attempts to absorb him. *'Super Speed': Sesshōmaru can move faster than the eye can see, both on land and in the air. He can decapitate an entire army of samurai before they can react. *'Super Strength': Sesshōmaru possesses physical strength far beyond that of a normal demon. His total strength in a single arm is equal to Inuyasha's full strength. *'Senses': Due to his lineage, Sesshōmaru exhibits extremely heightened senses, particularly his sense of smell. He can discern characteristics of most objects through scent, such as the undead Band of Seven through the scent of graveyard soil and pure-demon blood from half-demon blood (such as when Inuyasha's demon blood takes over). Through smell alone, Sesshōmaru can follow events transpiring far away or which have already transpired; for example, he learned of everything that had happened during Inuyasha's confrontation with Goshinki by simply sniffing the area in which they fought at least several hours, if not days, after the battle. *'Daiyōkai Form': As the son of a daiyōkai, Sesshōmaru has inherited similar levels of power and thus is a daiyōkai in his own right — endowed with heightened senses, intelligence, strength, and a myriad of yōkai powers. While he appears to be an elf-eared human bearing splendid clothing and armor most of the time, he can transform into his true inuyōkai form. While this form grants him incredible brute strength, his large size, lack of agility and specialized abilities, combined with his lack of intelligence, makes his true form more of a hindrance than an asset in battle, as noted by Jaken. *'Immortality': Being a yōkai, Sesshōmaru does not suffer from old age the way humans do. He appears to be in his early twenties despite being over five hundred years old. *'Regeneration': During his battle with Magatsuhi, Sesshōmaru's demonstrated the ability to heal the burns and gashes on his right arm. In the same battle, he was able to restore his left arm, which was cut off by Inuyasha at the beginning of the series. *'Dokkasō' (毒華爪, Toxic Luster Claw): Sesshōmaru can release a venomous acid from his claws that can liquify flesh and bone upon contact. Though he normally applies it through his claw strikes, he can also spray the acid from his claws or transfer it into his punches. *'Mokomoko-sama' (モコモコ様, lit. Lord Fluff-Fluff): The fur on Sesshōmaru's shoulder can be extended to great lengths and used to whip, constrict and fling his opponents or carry himself through the air. However, because it is a part of his body, the mokomoko-sama is capable of bleeding and is highly sensitive to pain, to the point that injuring it can render Sesshōmaru temporarily immobilized. Anime-Only Powers Sesshōmaru displayed a few abilities that were exclusive to the anime. *'Teleportation': In "Showdown: Inuyasha vs Sesshomaru", Sesshōmaru morphed into a ball of energy to escape his father's grave. *'Psionics': In "Showdown: Inuyasha vs Sesshomaru", he was able to levitate and hurl skulls at Inuyasha and Kagome through telekinesis. *'Poison Whip': Sesshōmaru can generate a thin, whip-like strand of yellow-green energy from his fingertips to aid him in place of his missing arm. It has shown to be able to puncture armor and flesh with ease and can burn flesh upon contact, similar to his poison. *'Sōryūha' (蒼龍破, Pale Dragon Blast; "''Dragon Strike" in the English Dub): Only seen in the movies, its strength is comparable, if not greater than Inuyasha's Kaze no Kizu. He can also put in the ground to break an enemy's barrier. He is seen using it with both the Tōkijin and Tenseiga in the third movie. In the second episode of ''InuYasha: The Final Act, Sesshōmaru used the Dragon Strike on Mōryōmaru with the Tōkijin at point blank range. Weapons Tenseiga The Tenseiga is a sword that can revive the dead. It does this by letting Sesshōmaru see the pall-bearer imps that take away the souls of the dead so that he may destroy them with Tenseiga. In extreme cases, the Tenseiga also protects Sesshōmaru from potentially lethal attacks. When in use, the Tenseiga has a blue aura. Later in the manga, the Tenseiga is reforged by Tōtōsai to become a weapon, allowing Sesshōmaru to use the Meidō Zangetsuha. It is later revealed that the ability and the sword itself is merely a cast off of the Tessaiga; his father wanted Sesshōmaru to master the Meidō Zangetsuha. Sesshōmaru becomes quite angered because of this,but eventually Sesshōmaru discards the sword as his father wished, giving the ability back to the Tessaiga and making the Tenseiga only a healing sword once again. Tōkijin Tōkijin ' was a sword crafted by the evil sword smith Kaijinbō from the fangs of Goshinki as part of Sesshōmaru's continued efforts to obtain Tessaiga or a sword matching it in power. It can fire off extremely powerful blasts of pure evil energy, but because it is filled with Goshinki's malice, only Sesshōmaru can wield it without being controlled by it. Tōkijin can be used to blow back and injure an enemy with a powerful pinkish-purple aura, generated as the manifestation of pure hatred. It can also be used to slash at an opponent either directly or with kenatsu, and, like Tenseiga, can perform Sōryūha; however, being "only an Oni's fang", Tōkijin initially could not withstand repeated uses of Sōryūha the way that Tenseiga could. But later, in the 4th ''InuYasha movie, Tōkijin seemed capable of being a conduit for the attack with no ensuing refractory period. Later in the manga, Sesshōmaru broke Tōkijin while battling Mōryōmaru, and afterwards abandoned the broken pieces with no further interest in keeping the sword. He instead searched for a replacement, which he found in the Meidō Zangetsuha ability of the Tenseiga. Bakusaiga '''Bakusaiga was Sesshōmaru's signature weapon once he acquired it. The Bakusaiga manifested itself in the hand of Sesshōmaru's fully regenerated, and longtime-severed, left arm during his battle with Magatsuhi. The sword is the polar opposite of the Tenseiga, as it has an immensely strong power with the ability to eradicate and decompose any organic material that its blade comes in contact with, nullifying any regenerative capabilities while doing so. Miroku comments that Naraku would suffer the same affliction should he absorb any demons wounded by Bakusaiga. . The blade itself is the manifestation of Sesshōmaru's own true demonic powers and abilities, born from his detachment of Inuyasha's Tessaiga. Its birth signifies Sesshōmaru's graduation into a full-fledged daiyōkai, which was long compromised by his obsession with Tessaiga. Tōtōsai comments that his ability to manifest his own blade suggests his strength and power has far surpassed that of his father's and connotes his growth through the many trials he endured to emerge as a daiyōkai, with the Bakusaiga serving as the product of this 'rite of passage'. Much like the Tessaiga's Kaze no Kizu attack, the Bakusaiga can also unleash massively strong and powerful amounts of yōki, enough to slay thousands of yōkai with one swing. Though similar, Rumiko Takahashi stated that Bakusaiga's youki wave attack, which is similar to the Kaze no Kizu, possesses much greater strength and power than a full power blast from Inuyasha's Bakuryūha. Nintōjō The Nintōjō was a staff that could locate his father's grave or perhaps Tessaiga itself. It can produce long streams of flame, and generate large floods of water. The staff is usually held by his assistant Jaken. Also, it has been shown that the Staff of Two Heads can be used to summon yōkai. It features an old man's and a woman's head. They can speak when the staff is used. When attempting to find his father's grave, if the woman cried, that meant he had to keep searching. If the old man laughed, that meant he had found the grave. Relationships Family ;Inuyasha Aside from the fact that Sesshōmaru loathed humans and half-demons, Sesshōmaru despised Inuyasha not only because he wields the Tessaiga, is a half-demon and his half-brother, but also because he couldn't stand the fact that his father's demon blood courses through his veins. Although he'll never admit it, he begins to grow and starts to care for Inuyasha over time. While Sesshōmaru continues to make rude comments to Inuyasha, their relationship eventually improves, and they appear to look out for each other in battle, as shown when they join forces to battle against Naraku. ;Inu no Taishō His relationship with his father is distant and estranged due to the fact that his father had left his wife (Sesshōmaru's mother) and fallen in love with a mortal woman named Izayoi; who became the mother of his younger half-brother, Inuyasha. In InuYasha: Movie 3, Sesshōmaru only seems to want to gain power, something his father finds disappointing. Inu no Taishō asks him if he has someone to protect. Sesshōmaru knew this was his father's final test for him. He answer's "no", finding the idea of protecting someone ridiculous. It seemed at that moment, he was ready to slay his father for not entrusting Tessaiga and Sō'unga to him. At the beginning of the series, Sesshōmaru despised humans and considered them as weak and useless. 200 years later, he would realize that his father's words would echo, because he did have someone to protect: his companions Rin and Jaken (and at times, his younger brother Inuyasha). During his battle against the Sō'unga with Inuyasha, Sesshōmaru is able to release an immense amount of power that along with his brother's attack aids in the destruction of the sword after recalling the numerous times he had protected Rin and Jaken, though he verbally exclaims that he protects no one. ;Sesshōmaru's mother Only shown for a small amount of time, Sesshōmaru's mother's name is never stated. She is a full-yōkai who is devilishly similar to her son - the moon upon their forehead, their attitudes, and how they despise humans. When Sesshōmaru went to visit her, it was to make his power of Meidō Zangetsuha stronger and more mature. She knew he would come to do this seeing he was finally able to unlock the new power, thus stating that in order to do so, the power was to be exchanged with Rin's life. Her attitude changes from generous to irritated when Sesshōmaru ignores her offer to bring him before before he was able to save Rin, making it seem she didn't care about him anymore. Even though she ignores the fact that Rin's a human, she still has motherly feelings toward Sesshōmaru. Concerned with her son's sadness, Sesshōmaru's mother resurrected Rin with the Meidō Stone. When Rin is revived, Jaken says she's an honorable mother for doing so. She asks Jaken if he's happy this way, and he says it's most likely extremely so. She later states, "All this fuss over one human girl... He's becoming like his father in the strangest ways," referring to his father's kindness to humans. Traveling companions ;Jaken Sesshōmaru encountered Jaken when he was passing through a distant land. A large demon was wreaking havoc amongst Jaken and other demons resembling him when Sesshōmaru killed the demon with his mere claws. Despite Jaken's display of immense gratitude, Sesshōmaru claimed he was only passing through. Sesshōmaru walked to a nearby waterfall and pulled out the Staff of Two Heads. He told Jaken that if he was able to wield the weapon, he may follow him. Jaken deeply respects and always praises Sesshōmaru, much to Sesshōmaru's annoyance. At times, he gets too carried away and winds up insulting Sesshōmaru, which usually leads to a couple bumps on the head. Jaken is condescending to all but Sesshōmaru. When Jaken belittles Rin, Sesshōmaru will usually yell at him and tell him to knock it off. Because Jaken is (reluctantly) aware of Sesshōmaru's compassion toward Rin, he knows that he, too, must responsibly protect her or else face the wrath of his master. ;Rin Rin is a young orphan who becomes the traveling companion of Sesshōmaru and Jaken. When Sesshōmaru was injured by the Wind Scar after trying to steal the Tessaiga again from Inuysaha, Rin bravely attempted to care for him as he lay near a tree, bringing him water and food. Sesshōmaru initially rejected her kindness, telling her generosity was a waste, as he does not eat human food. She continues to bring him things and he is caught off guard by her smile. After letting his wolf pack hunt, Kōga's wolves killed Rin. Sesshōmaru, recognizing the scent of Rin's blood, stumbled upon her dead body in the forest and decided to resurrect her with the Tenseiga as a "test", as the sword became insistent on him drawing it. To his surprise, her heart began to beat again and she is revived. From that day forward, she would be by Sesshōmaru's side along with Jaken and a two-headed dragon demon known as A-Un. Throughout the series, Rin's warmness and kindness play a significant role on Sesshōmaru. His growing compassion for her allows him to advance in battle. He constantly rescues her and looks out for her despite claiming he did not care for her. He often instructs her to stay in a safe place with A-Un when he knows he is going somewhere dangerous. He often avoids killing in front of her, unless it is the only way to protect her. In The Final Act, Sesshōmaru wished to improve his Meidō Zangetsuha technique but it unfortunately came at the cost of Rin's life. He finally felt sorrow from the loss of his beloved companion. Concerned with her son's sadness, Sesshōmaru's mother ressurected Rin with the Meidō Stone. Following Naraku's defeat and after some input by Kaede, Sesshōmaru agrees that Rin needs to reside in a village to get used to living with humans once again and where she is safe from potential harm. When the time comes, Rin will decide whether to stay in the village or go with Sesshōmaru. He continues to pay her regular visits often bringing presents with him hinting that he actually cares for her. She is last seen receiving a kimono from him. ;Kohaku Naraku abducted Rin by using Kagura and had Kohaku serve as her guard. After seriously injured by Sesshōmaru and Inuyasha at his castle, Naraku had fled and ordered Kohaku to kill Rin. Mind-controlled, Kohaku was ready to kill Rin but Sesshōmaru arrived at the scene, deciding not to kill Kohaku, knowing that was what Naraku wanted him to do and he does not play by Naraku's rules. After Kikyō died, Kohaku decided to follow Sesshōmaru, who didn't seem to be against the idea also protects him too. Kohaku forms a great friendship with Rin and protects her in times of trouble. In his battle with Magatsuhi, Kohaku attempts to protect Sesshōmaru. Eventually, Kohaku would part with Sesshōmaru and remain with his sister, Sango, and the rest of Inuyasha's gang prior to the battle with Naraku, where he would then leave with Jaken and Shippō to fight. ;A-Un A-Un was a dragon who's traveling by Lord Sesshōmaru's side for a long time. He was Sesshōmaru's first 'traveling companion' and was always loyal to his master. A-Un always had to care for Rin and to protect her, everytime when Sesshōmaru left his companions for a while. Enemies ;Naraku Naraku has been seen a few times throughout the series trying to use Sesshōmaru to kill Inuyasha for him. The first time was when Naraku offered Sesshōmaru the human arm with the shard of the shikon jewel in it, along with the hive of poisonous insects that would block Miroku's wind tunnel. After Sesshōmaru disposed of the sacred jewel shard he confronted Naraku. And at the end of the confrontation Naraku spoke of how he might call on Sesshōmaru again if a chance shall arise to kill Inuyasha. This of course hurt Sesshōmaru's pride, beind used by a half demon like Naraku. But Naraku and Sesshōmaru become real enemies when Naraku orders his incarnation Kagura to abduct Rin. He then tells Sesshōmaru that if he heeds his request he shall return Rin in good health. This of course insults Sesshōmaru's pride even further. Sesshōmaru rips off the head of the demon puppet and heads towards Naraku's castle. Naraku and Sesshōmaru start to fight at the castle and Naraku attempts to absorb Sesshōmaru into his body. But his attempt is thwarted by Inuyasha who breaks Sesshōmaru free. Inuyasha and Sesshōmaru then severly injure Naraku and he gets away by using Kohaku and telling Kohaku to kill Rin. Sesshōmaru then rescues Rin and begins to pursue Naraku to get back at him for not only insulting his pride but abducting Rin as well. Then Sesshōmaru tracks Naraku all the way to mount Hakurei where they meet moments after Kikyō falls into the river of miasma. Naraku tests his power against Sesshōmaru and retreats. Sesshōmaru then keeps learning more and more about Naraku's heart. He almost destroys Naraku's heart which was hidden inside the infant that was left with Kanna. But Kanna escapes with the infant. The infant then creates itself a shield using parts of different demons and humans. The infants shield is named Mōryōmaru. Sesshōmaru then obtains Bakusaiga which allows him to help Inuyasha and the others destroy Naraku. ;Kagura At first, Sesshōmaru appeared to be annoyed with Kagura's constant appearances because he felt as though he had no obligation to be "used" to fight Naraku so that she could be free. Eventually, her visits would be useful as she provided him with information on Naraku's whereabouts. After getting injured by Goryōmaru's light cannons, she falls into a river near Sesshōmaru. Initially, he rejects Jaken and Rin's proposal of helping her but after both of his companions fall into the water in an attempt to save her, he saves all three of them. He stayed with her afterwards and warned her not to do anything that would get her killed. It is hinted that Kagura had romantic feelings for Sesshōmaru, as she landed in the spot that she did to see him "one last time before she died." When fighting against Mōryōmaru, both he and Sesshōmaru pick up on the scent of Kagura's blood. Mōryōmaru laughs and jokes about how Kagura will have died in vain. This notion angers Sesshōmaru and gives him the energy to break free from Mōryōmaru's grasp. After Mōryōmaru flees, Sesshōmaru finds Kagura, who is slowly dying in a field of flowers as a result of Naraku's miasma. Feeling as though it is too good to be true, Kagura asks Sesshōmaru if he thought he would find Naraku there but Sesshōmaru responds that he knew it was Kagura. After hearing this, Kagura was able to die in peace, knowing that in that instant, Sesshōmaru had cared about her well-being. While it is unknown as to whether or not Kagura's feelings for him were unrequited, Sesshōmaru's concern for her after smelling her blood in battle with Mōryōmaru triggered his Tenseiga to become ready to be forged into a weapon. Tōtōsai explains that something in Sesshōmaru's heart had changed as he felt the sorrow and anger of losing someone. After learning the Meidō Zangetsuha for the first time, a breeze blows and Sesshōmaru closes his eyes and decides that he, Sesshōmaru, will decide whether or not Kagura died in vain. Other ;Kagome Higurashi Because of her affiliation with Inuyasha, and his hatred for all humans in general, Kagome is generally disliked by Sesshōmaru. While he doesn't grow to like her, eventually throughout the series, he looks out for her; protecting her from enemies, such as Mukotsu and Naraku. Three years after Naraku's defeat, Kagome became his sister-in-law, though he finds the idea somewhat annoying, as seen by his glare when she shouts out "brother-in-law" to him on his way back from visiting Rin. ;Sara Asano After having his left arm severed by Inuyasha as a result of his attempt to claim the Tessaiga for his own, Sesshōmaru sought a place to recover and passed through the Asano Castle (a two episode anime special). The Asano Clan happened to be on the brink of losing to an enemy, however, Sesshōmaru easily cut though the enemy lines with this claws on his way to find refuge. Princess Sara fell in love with Sesshōmaru at first sight when their eyes met as she saw him defeat her clan's enemies. As he rested, Sara hid behind trees and gazed at Sesshōmaru, often listening to his unconscious mutterings about wanting the Tessaiga. Later on, Sara became terminally ill and spent her final days in a convent with nuns after the Asano Castle was burnt down by her own father, who was driven insane after witnessing Sesshōmaru's strength. Like Onigumo, in Sara's final moments, she was visited by demons who explained to her that if she gave them her body, they would help her destroy Inuyasha, whom she had heard outside and recalled Sesshōmaru's previous words about wanting the Tessaiga. She gave into the demons and asked Sesshōmaru that if she were to fulfill his wish, that he would acknowledge her feelings for him. Sesshōmaru told her to do as she pleased. After presenting a stolen Tessaiga to Sesshōmaru, he rejected the stolen sword and revealed that he had no interest in such a thing. The demons then took over Sara's body and aimed to kill Sesshōmaru. Showing compassion, Sesshōmaru destroyed the demons within Sara, allowing her soul to be saved. He placed her flute in her ashes and told her to continue playing her flute in the netherworld. ;Kikyō There is barely any interaction between Kikyō and Sesshōmaru, however in Affections Touching Across Time, they briefly encounter and Sesshōmaru asks her if she loathes Kagome or if she is "testing her". Kikyō responds that she despises all things and living creatures bound to time. Sesshōmaru tells her to do as she sees fit but states that he will be the one to kill Inuyasha. On Mount Hakurei, Kikyō shoots an arrow into the evil form of Suikotsu, saving both his good side and Rin. ;Sango There was barely any interaction between the Dog Demon Lord and the demon slayer, however in episode 20 (FA), Sango was the one to inform Sesshōmaru that Rin was unconscious because of Magatsuhi's poison making him hurry back to Rin's side. Then in episode 23 (FA) during the final battle with Naraku he becomes very angry with her after overhearing how she was willing to kill Rin in order to defeat Naraku and save Miroku in the process. She begs him to wait to kill her until after Naraku has been defeated. It seems that Sesshōmaru was indeed going to tear her apart after the fight, but decided to spare her life after seeing her give Rin her gas mask to protect her from the poison and apologizing to her. ;Kōga It was Kōga's wolves that killed Rin, Sesshōmaru's traveling companion who he brought back to life. There was barely any interaction between Sesshōmaru and Kōga until episode 99, during which they almost fought when Kōga stated that he smelt like his brother, Inuyasha. This made Sesshōmaru mad and, if it hadn't been for the two demons that were about to attack their friends, they would have fought each other. However, upon defeating the two demons, they gained a mutual understanding (it has been stated that the one thing they have in common is that neither of them can stand Inuyasha). Manga vs. Anime *The stripes on Sesshōmaru's wrists are only in the Anime. *The energy whip of light was only exclusive in the Anime Quotes Trivia * According to Rumiko Takahashi, Sesshōmaru's name means "killing perfection", though it can also be translated as "the perfect killer/assassin", "circle of destruction" or "complete destruction of life". * Sesshōmaru makes an appearance as a concept art in the front pages of Chapter 9, before he was introduced as a character. * Sesshōmaru started out as an antagonist, but as the series progressed he became a protagonist and became one of the most important key players in beating Naraku (his Tenseiga being the only thing to be able to kill Magatsuhi and his Bakusaiga for preventing Naraku from regenerating his body). *Sesshōmaru's appearance changes as the story progresses. Comparing his first appearance in Chapter 13 with the last in Chapter 558, he appears very young and effeminate in the beginning, but by the end, appears more mature and masculine; the armor and clothes he wears changes slightly overall compared in Chapter 13, page 5 with chapter 468, page 1). *His mokomoko-sama grows considerably over the course of the manga, going from a relatively small band of fur to a massive bunch of fur that drags behind him as he walks. *Early in the manga he was appearing smiling a lot. But as the manga goes on, he hides his emotions and rarely smiles, becoming more like his character is portrayed in the anime. * The pattern on Sesshōmaru's kimono is based upon an actual crest of a samurai clan known as the Azai. * In The Holy Pearl, a Chinese live action loosely based off of InuYasha, Sesshōmaru is paralleled by a character named Wu Dao. * In the Inuyasha profiles book, Sesshōmaru is described as, "Beautifully chilling. The strongest demon in the Warring States era." * In the manga, Sesshōmaru's stripes are more jagged than they are in the anime. References Navigation de:Sesshōmaru ca:Sesshomaru es:Sesshomaru zh:杀生丸 vi:Sesshomaru ja:殺生丸 Category:Characters Category:Daiyōkai Category:Sengoku Characters Category:Swordsmen Category:Male Category:Shikon Jewel Shard Users